


Flames in the Night

by SuperQatarGirl



Series: Watcher of the Living Lands [3]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Burning, Confessions, Fire, Gen, Lion Companion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 21:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17495789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperQatarGirl/pseuds/SuperQatarGirl
Summary: As Defiance Bay burns, a decision has been made. But what will the consequences be?





	Flames in the Night

Defiance Bay was on fire. It was a kind of fire Aloth had never seen before, blazing hotter than any kiln known to Eora, but cold and unfeeling, careless of what it might leave decimated in its wake. It illuminated the backs of his companions in a way that seemed so wrong; it had them all looking hunched and defeated, tired not just in body and mind but to the very core of their souls. He was sure he looked much the same to anyone behind him.

But worse than the rest was the way Ninleyn looked: near death’s door and drained of any and all energy, of the will to keep going on. All the work he had done to expose the Leaden Key for what they really were seemed lost and even without seeing the Watcher’s face, Aloth knew that whatever expression the hunter was currently wearing might very well be heartbreaking if gazed at for too long. The death of Lady Webb was of no help either, as it seemed only to have left the Watcher with more questions than answers. This was not a good moment to do what Aloth was about to, but it was the only time that seemed… appropriate; better to get all the bad news out of the way at once, yes? Yes, it would have to be.

“Ninleyn?” the wizard called and saw the other wood elf’s ear swivel minutely; it had always been odd how he could do that. “I need to speak with you.”

There was no hesitation as Ninleyn turned around to walk back the short way towards Aloth, Kharis by his side, and the wizard only now realised that he had stopped walking before the others and that they were all glancing back at him. He looked back to Ninleyn and his features in the firelight, starkly defined cheekbones and nose, shadows cast over his eyes that made him look every bit as terrifying and awe inspiring as Aloth knew he could be. And he would have to tell this man – one of his only friends if not, indeed, his best friend – the thing he had been keeping secret for so long, while looking at the face of what might as well have been a god bathed in fire.

“Yes, Aloth?” The hunter began as casually as he could manage, given recent events, the feeble attempt at a charming smile forming on his thin, shadowed lips. Aloth had never noticed that Ninleyn had an overbite until now, and knew immediately that his mind was attempting to delay the inevitable; he could even faintly hear Iselmyr grumbling at him to just get to the point, already. And, for once, he was thankful for her direct manner.

The first word of his confession was the hardest, but after it the rest flew out of him before he could even think them fully through. He told about his time studying, about animancy and about… the Leaden Key. And all the while Ninleyn’s golden eyes, now seeming to dance like flames in the night, held his own deep blue, not releasing him from their grasp. It almost felt as if the Watcher was looking past his eyes and into his soul, seeing past anything he might have to say for himself and judging purely on the merits of his innermost.

When Aloth was finally done explaining all he felt he needed to and had begged for forgiveness, Ninleyn was still looking at him with the same piercing look, pondering, calculating what to do next, what to do with the wizard now that he knew what had been kept from him. Aloth felt himself sweating, and not from the heat of the fires they had just escaped. He knew that he would never be able to trust someone again if they confessed such a thing to him; being told that one of your companions had been with your enemy all along was not easy to swallow or forgive, and he feared that Ninleyn’s impulsive nature might prove his end.

So when the hunter moved forward purposefully, Aloth expected a slap to the face, a shove to the ground, a kick in the gut or even having his soul ripped apart, and he closed his eyes in anticipation of the pain to come. Instead he felt two strong, lithe arms wrap around his body and a warm, smooth cheek rest against his own. Never had his eyes shot open so fast, not even the first time Iselmyr took charge and fought back against his father. This was… not what he had expected, to say the least, but he found himself comforted by the friendly gesture, by the show of trust. Over Ninleyn’s shoulder Aloth could see the rest of his companions looking at them both, some perplexed, some with narrowed eyes, one smiling gently and right then Aloth knew, knew that–

“I forgive you, Aloth. But I want you beside me, not behind me. I’m not asking you to trade one master for another.” And as Ninleyn pulled away slowly, Aloth saw his eyes, gentle, caring eyes, more like candles now than raging flames, and felt his shoulder being nudged gently.

In this particular moment it was somehow difficult not to smile, and Aloth did just that as he and Ninleyn walked back up to rejoin the rest of the group, side by side.


End file.
